BHS Approved Livery Yards

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cm2581

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I was wondering if people found BHS approval to be worth anything anywhere? I have stabled my horses at two seperate BHS approved livery yards and been to see two other (these are in two very different geographical areas). Only one of these was an acceptable standard! The other three were a joke. One had tiny stables (10x8 for a 16.2hh!!!), another had less than 6ft height clearance at the back of the stables (although they were larger - about 12x14) and two had shocking fencing in some or all fields (single strand barbed wire in places as the 'fence'). The 'health and safety' was also fairly poor at two of them.

So my question is, does anyone actually think BHS approval means anything, is worth anything and would it influence your descision in whether or not to go to a yard?
 
Having been on a godawful BHS approved yard for a short while it wouldn't influence me any longer either. The owner would know weeks in advance when the yearly inspection would be and clean up especially for it when the rest of the time the horses lived in squalor with totally inadequate care. They should have unannounced inspections!
 
A livery yard owner told me the other day that the BHS charge the yard owner quite a bit to be a "registered yard"......but it means nothing, as there are no "regulations" to adhere to in law - yet. You just get a sign ???

To be very fair, the BHS are working hard to get these in place, but having helped at a "BHS registered yard"...hmm, a long way to go. sm x
 
Can't understand how yards can be so bad and registered. We are registered and there are strict standards to adhere to, regulations re insurance, conditions, welfare, standards etc. Stables have to have a minimum head room, minimum amounts of grasing per horse. yards have to be insured etc. I have a registered yard and I have annual inspections, unannounced and have my paperwork checked, the condition of all the livery horses checked, including feet. All my fencing is checked along with my stables, facilities and fire prevention standard and equipment. In fact I was very impressed with the standards they expect. You certainly don't simply sign, yes you pay to be a BHS registered yard, but that includes the inspection, inclusion in the handbook and on the web, and includes copies of the BHS magazine and BHS membership.
 
BHS have a mixed rep for me I'm afraid. I was in a BHS approved yard for a while - yes the fencing was maintained, but the stables leaked like collanders and it was probably the worst, most unhappy, and most expensive yard I have ever been on!

Also used BHS instructors in the past - one was brilliant and is a personal friend, two were awful and had no idea, one abused my horse (he still has whip marks 5 years on) and also beat a pony so badly it was covered in 2" weals and couldn't be touched for days

As always it's a case of caveat emptor, but BHS imo is an outdated organisation, needs a complete overhaul, has low credibility, and it's recommendation means very little.
 
The factors that influence my decision are price, location, grazing and facilities it makes no difference to me if the place is BHS approved or not.

I have been on one BHS approved yard and the facilities were good, lovely Monarch stables, well maintained land, good secure storage but run by one of the rudest people I've ever come across.
 
BHS approval means nothing. The 2 worst yards I have ever worked/kept my horses at have been the only 2 that were BHS approved!!!!!!!!!!!!! At 1 there was no turnout, stables were tiny, and falling down. I went away for a long weekend and put my horse onto full livery. Came back 4 days later to find my horse had been ignored for the 4 days (apparently a new groom was supposed to be looking after her) and ended up having to take her to horsepital the evening I got back as she was so dehydrated she could no longer stand. She now has permanent kidney damage. The other yard I was a student at (my horses never went there luckily) the horses were lame, had lice, canker, mud fever which all went untreated. 1 horse tied up, as they refused to get a vet to it, it died a very painful death. The pony stables were 5'x6', and only 5'5" high!!!!! Fields were full of ragwort and rubbish, fences were falling down, the stallion was constantly escaping!!!!!!
 
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